


Sketches and Smiles all for you

by eriksensational



Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: M/M, Uni AU, just soft boys, very fluffy and cute thats all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-07-12
Packaged: 2020-06-27 04:07:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19782931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eriksensational/pseuds/eriksensational
Summary: Uni AU!Christian is taking English to pursue sports journalism and Ben is taking it to start his own art blog or write up reviews. The pair meet after being in the same lecture.





	Sketches and Smiles all for you

It was Ben's first English lecture and as he walked into the classroom he was surprised to see it so full already. The far majority of seats were already occupied expect a few of the back rows so he decided to head up there. Once sat down he began to unpack his bag, placing the necessary equipment in the space in front of him. Too focused on sorting out his things he didn't notice anyone else enter the same row until they spoke.

"Hey, do you mind if I take this seat?" A blond guy asked using the hand that wasn't holding a reusable coffee cup to gesture to the chair next to him. Ben glanced over at him and sent him a polite nod as a prompt to take the seat.

"I'm Christian, nice to meet you," The other stated with a smile as he sat down beside him.

"I'm Ben and likewise," He replied, returning the smile before switching his gaze back to the front of the room waiting for the lecture to start.

For the first few weeks, Ben had spent his time adjusting to the new routine and familiarising himself with campus and the area. Once feeling settled enough he chose to go out at the weekend to explore and take a break from work in order to relax. Ben hummed a small tune to himself as he walked back to his dorm across the campus. He had made the most out of the sunny Sunday morning to head to a nearby park to sketch some scenery. Ben clutched his sketchbook and pencil case close to his chest, absentmindedly tapping his fingers on the cardboard backing in tune to his humming. His thoughts were interrupted by a series of loud shouts coming from his left. Looking over he noticed that one of the pitches was occupied with a football game. Cocking his head to the side, he watched from afar for a while as the coloured shirts ran around. Without giving much second thought Ben headed in the direction of the pitch to take a closer look. Spotting a bench close by him, he decided to sit down, placing his sketch equipment beside him. An idea popped into his head as his eyes roamed around the pitch, choosing to practice human form given the opportunity. Promptly picking up his sketchbook, Ben flicked to a clean page before taking a pencil and rubber from his pencil case. He furrowed his eyebrows as he glanced around to pick someone to sketch given the constant movement and the fact most of them were strangers. A noise of delight slipped past his lips when he noticed a familiar face and blond head of hair. Fortunately, Christian was running down the wing closest to him and he could recall general features from sitting next to him in lectures. By the time the full-time whistle was blown Ben had managed to finish his work. He carefully blew over the paper to remove any erasings before staring proudly at the sketch of Chris mid-sprint with the ball at his feet. The temptation to add some colour to make it more distinct filled him. But when a strong breeze washed over him he opted to do that within the comfort of his own dorm.

A few days later Ben walked into his morning English lecture spotting Christian in his normal seat with the usual vacant space beside him. As he approached, he noticed the blond talking to someone else. Once he sat down the other quickly turned to send him a smile and good morning before finishing off his conversation. Ben focused on unpacking his things growing irritated when he couldn't find his notebook so began pulling everything out his bag. He pulled out his sketchbook and held it in his left hand using his right hand to rummage through the rest of the contents in the bag. Ben was too busy muttering to himself to know that Chris had turned his attention away from the person he was talking to.

"Is that me?" Christian asked, the voice pulling Ben out from his bubble to look over at the blond.

"Huh?" The noise leaving Ben's throat before he had the chance to acknowledge the question. When Chris pointed at his sketchbook, he felt his cheeks heat up as embarrassment began to fill his body.

"I was walking back from the park and saw the game on so headed over. I just chose to do some practice and saw you and thought it was better than sketching a stranger." Ben stuttered out eventually, grimacing at his explanation with his cheeks growing warmer by the second. Awkwardly he rubbed the back of his neck as he waited for a response, watching as Chris' blue eyes traced over his work.

"It is really good! Why aren't you pursuing art?" Christian responded his face beaming in awe and curiosity. The comment only made Ben's cheeks become painted with a deeper crimson colour and send the other a nervous but grateful smile.

"I don't know I've just never given it much thought, but thank you," Ben answered with a small smile, placing some things back into his bag to clear his space. Without a word, Chris ripped out and handed him a few loose pages with a bright grin which Ben gratefully took uttering a quiet thank you under his breath. He ran his palms over his cheeks still feeling the heat radiating from them and tried to regain his focus back on the front of the classroom. The professor walking in just as he did so, hoping his mind will become occupied sooner rather than later.

A month passed which was filled with growing chats and discussions before and after lectures with Christian. The pair slowly becoming closer and learning new things about one another whilst also sharing some similar passions. And after each conversation, Ben always had a smile on his face. As Ben packed his belongings into his bag after the lecture Christian caught his attention.

"Hey, I was wondering if you'd like to study together for the upcoming test?" Christian asked whilst running a hand through his blond hair to spike it back up.

"Yeah, that sounds good, I would like that," Ben replied, swinging his backpack over his shoulder and sending him a smile.

"Are you free this Saturday some time?" Chris questioned which caused Ben to swiftly nod in reply.

"Cool, I'll text you a time, see you later Ben," The blond added returning his smile. Then turning in order to head out of the room with Ben doing the same shortly after to go back to his dorm for the evening.

Friday night Chris had texted him to meet him outside his accommodation building at 10 am Saturday morning. Wanting to be on time Ben had set his alarm from 8 am so he could shower and double check he had everything before heading out to meet Christian. Despite being at their meeting place ten minutes early the blond was already there and a grin etched itself onto his face when he spotted him. The pair made their way to one of the cafes in the town, chatting about a range of things as they did so. The cafe was fairly quaint and traditional giving it a cosy feel as they entered. They continued their conversation in the short queue stopping once they were next to be served.

"What would you like?" Christian asked causing Ben to quickly skim his eyes over the menu board before selecting his usual coffee. Before he could interject the other had already given both their orders to the cashier and pulled out his card to pay.

"Thank you," Ben expressed, a soft smile tugging at the corner of his mouth at the gesture. The blond simply shrugged it off and handed him his drink before finding an area in the corner for them to sit. They promptly got to work, testing each other on key components and discussing topics to further their understanding. Both taking occasional breaks to take sips of their drinks and listen to the other. After a while, they switched to use their laptops to jot down some key individual notes.

Ben managed to jot down a whole page of keynotes and as he turned the page he looked up. Christian was poised in his chair, his pen gently tapping his lower lip as his blue eyes scanned across the laptop screen. He seemed so content and at ease at that moment, an urge to sketch him began to grow. Giving in, but not wanting to make it obvious, Ben began to lightly draw Chris on his lined paper. He took occasional glances upwards to check position and proportions before becoming absorbed in what he was doing. Too focused on his light sketching he hadn't notice the blond peel his eyes away from his laptop to pick up his drink again.

"Are you sketching?" Chris questioned which caused Ben to snap his gaze up to meet the other's who was raising an eyebrow at him. A spluttered 'No' left his mouth and a light blush of embarrassment began to race to his cheeks as he scribbled down random words.

"Can I see?" Christian asked, placing down his things on the coffee table to lean forward in his chair. Ben's face grew warm as his eyes flickered down to his paper and then back up to the other who was beaming at him. Swallowing the swelling embarrassment inside him he handed Chris his notepad with the sketch on, immediately looking into his lap after he no longer had a hold of it. Not being able to resist a quick glance, he looked at the blond who had a large smile on his face as he stared at the paper.

"Is my hair really that crazy?" Chris questioned with a light chuckle, running a hand through the locks to try and smooth them.

"It's not crazy it's cute," Ben blurted out without thinking, his eyes widening and mouth snapping shut as soon as the words passed his lips. He could feel the tips of his ears go red to match the colour spreading to his cheekbones as soon as he realised what he had said. When he looked over at the other, he noticed a faint pink colour dusting over his face.

"Damn it, I was meant to make the first move I had it all planned out and of course you had to go ruin it," The blond commented a flicker of annoyance in his tone as he spoke, furrowing his eyebrows before meeting his stare.

"I'm sorry?" Ben stuttered out, unsure if he had heard what Chris had said correctly. A flutter of nerves filling his stomach as he waited for a reply.

"Don't be sorry there is less pressure now, so would you like to go on a proper date with me?" Chris asked with a chuckle, a nervous smile playing at his lips as he waited. Ben's eyes widened slightly at the words but nodded promptly as he couldn't trust his voice or words at this point in time.

"Awesome! We should probably finish this up before we dwell on that any further." Christian stated with a wide grin on his face as he rubbed the back of his neck gently, blue eyes twinkling as they took in Ben's bright smile. The pair opting to continue with their studying with big smiles and nerves tickling their insides.

When Christian had messaged him a few days later about the minor details Ben couldn't contain his nerves and excitement as the weekend edged closer. They agreed on the same meeting place as they had done for their trip to the cafe to study. This time with Ben being told to only bring himself and his sketch stuff. Despite being confused about the latter he made sure to place them by his shoes at the door so he wouldn't forget. Also deciding to lay out his outfit to save hassle in the morning. Fortunately, they weren't meeting up until after midday which gave Ben plenty of time to have a shower and get ready without having to rush out the door. Once he was all ready he made sure to double check he had everything before swiftly leaving his dorm with a giddy smile on his face.

Ben arrived at their meeting place early but like last time Chris was already there waiting. The blond was rocking on the balls of his feet. He had a carrier bag in one hand and a rucksack on his back which caused him to cock an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Do you need help carrying anything?" Ben asked politely, gesturing to the bag the other was holding loosely.

"I've got it don't worry, are you ready to go?" Christian replied. Nodding that he was ready Ben received a beaming smile before joining Chris to walk by his side. The walk was pleasant with them keeping a steady flow of conversation whilst enjoying the nice weather. Ben was intrigued when they began to approach one of the large parks and green spaces in the area. Not questioning it, he intently followed Chris as he led them into a quieter part. He knitted his eyebrows in confusion as they started to walk up a hill, now growing more unsure where he was being led to. When they reached the top Ben let out an appreciative hum at the view. The hill was topped with a few apple blossom trees and from where they were stood they had a good overview of the rest of the park. When Ben eventually pulled himself away from staring at the scenery he saw that Christian had already wandered over to a spot beneath a tree to dump the bags. Walking over he felt his chest bubble with warmth once the blond took out a blanket, finally realising what the other had planned.

"I remember you mentioning you did some sketching in a park and I thought a picnic was a better idea than an awkward cinema or dinner date. I hope you don't mind." Christian stated, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly before handing Ben the other half of the blanket so they could lay it down together.

"It's a lovely idea," Ben replied with a bright smile, both of them taking a seat to face opposite each other.

"I wasn't sure what you like to eat or drink so I just packed a wide variety of things so just help yourself," Chris added, unzipping the rucksack and carefully pulling out a bunch of products to place in between them to snack on. Ben helped unpack the bags chuckling to himself when he found a punnet of strawberries.

"Should I be expecting some chocolate or whipped cream to go with these," Ben asked cheekily with a smirk as he held the box up which made Chris laugh and shrug. Letting the other finish emptying the bags he saw the blond's eyebrows furrow when there was nothing left in either of them.

"Wait, I swear I actually packed that. I thought we could be all cheesy and feed them to each other so I guess that plan is ruined," Christian muttered, chucking the empty bags to the side for more space.

"We can do it in our own way," Ben added, taking a strawberry and throwing it at Chris who managed to catch it in his mouth with a giggle.

"Next time take the stem off." The blond responded, grimacing as he pulled the top of the fruit from his mouth and then threw it into the rubbish bag he brought. Rolling his eyes, Ben was caught off guard as Chris detached the stem before throwing the strawberry at him. The berry hitting his bottom lip before bouncing off into his lap making the pair both laugh, and without complaint, Ben popped it into his mouth. Smiling at each other, they dug into the rest of the food whilst chatting about a range of things with one another.

After talking for ages Ben switched to intently listening to Christian enthusiastically tell him random stories with a large grin on his face. He felt engrossed watching the other speak, taking a small glance to his sketch stuff after feeling an urge to capture the moment creep up inside him.

"I told you to bring them for a reason. I figured you'd want to sketch so feel free I don't mind." The blond mentioned, and Ben felt the minor flurry of embarrassment wash away when he took in the sweet smile Christian was sending him. Once he found a fresh page in his sketchbook, he started to draw, nodding along and making a few passing comments as Chris continued to tell him stories. Whilst he sketched, they finished off eating the remaining food, Ben being extra careful not to get any crumbs or spill anything on his work. By the time he had finished his sketch, they had finished the majority of the food and the sky had started to darken slightly.

"Can I see?" Christian asked, eyes twinkling when he was handed the sketchbook to look over. Ben moved his gaze elsewhere as the other admired his drawing, his body filled with uncertainty.

"It's amazing Ben don't be embarrassed. But let's pack up I have something I want to show you before it gets too dark." The other added, also offering to put Ben's sketchbook and pencil case in his backpack so he didn't have to carry them. Accepting the offer, he then helped place all their rubbish in the carrier bag. Then packing up the last few things before Chris grabbed his hand to lead the way once again. Ben felt his face grow warmer at the gesture, quickly stealing a glance to look down at their intertwined fingers and smiled to himself. They walked hand in hand to an area with a small lake and a bridge, the scenery around them looking beautiful. The pair stopped on the bridge to appreciate the view, the sun was close to setting which provided a colourful hue over the water. Ben could feel eyes watching him as he admired the view, sneaking a look he saw the blond already staring at him.

"I don't know what's more breathtaking you or this view," Christian murmured loud enough for him to hear. Despite how cheesy the line was Ben couldn't help but get flustered. As a red tint painted over his face Ben turned away slightly and rubbed a hand over his cheek, the action making Chris let out a small chuckle.

"No don't hide away," The blond stated, grabbing Ben's hand to move him so they were facing each other. A tentative and soft smile lining Christian's lips as they locked eyes. Without much thought they both found themselves leaning in, meeting in the middle to share a sweet and short kiss. Ben's hand instinctively moved to cup the back of Chris' head to keep him close. Pulling away, Ben let out a soft sigh as they rested their foreheads together. The blond looked at him with a bright and breathless smile, causing him to stare in awe. Moving his hand, Ben cupped Chris' jaw and ran his thumb lightly over the skin before leaning in for another kiss.

"Thank you for this. I really enjoyed spending time with you," Ben whispered when they parted again, shifting to hold both of the other's hands in his own.

"So did I," Christian said in agreeance, a light rosy colour filling his cheeks as Ben affectionately ran his thumb over Chris' knuckles lightly. They stared at each other a little while longer before smiling softly and deciding it was time to leave. As they made their way back hand in hand and filled with warmth, neither of them could wait until the next time they could spend time together.

It was the day of their one-year anniversary, and the pair were simply hanging out in Chris' apartment with wide smiles on both their faces. Both had nicely wrapped presents on their laps from the other, giddy with excitement to see each other's reaction.

"You go first," Chris stated with a bright smile, almost bouncing with anticipation from where he sat on the floor. Ben began to peel back the tape on the wrapping paper to open it, eyes lighting up when he realised what it was. A gasp left his mouth once he fully removed the gift and stared at it.

"I know you said you wanted to start painting so thought maybe an easel you could take with you would be cool," Chris added rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke. Ben carefully ran his hand other the canvas and wood. As he turned it over to check the stand he smiled at the small tubes of paint sellotaped to the back in a clear bag. The thought of Christian not wanting to wrap two presents made him chuckle to himself.

"I love it, thank you," Ben replied and reached out to give his hand a squeeze with a soft smile of appreciation. He then nodded down gently to prompt the blond to open his present. Chris quickly unwrapped the gift, staring down at the scrapbook with 'Our first year together' written in pretty blue cursive on the front. Slightly confused, he looked up at Ben who was watching him expectantly.

"Open it," Ben said using his hand to motion the other to do so. With little hesitation, the blond opened it up and his blue eyes widen as they skimmed across the page. He quickly flicked through the pages which were all filled with sketches and cute little notes from every date and other memorable times they had spent together. As Christian looked up to meet Ben's eyes his own were brimming with tears, his chest filling with warmth as he clutched the gift tightly in his hands.

"Don't cry, you're meant to be smiling," Ben told him, placing his easel on the floor, so he could crawl closer to the other to gently wipe a few fallen tears.

"I love you," Chris expressed with a smile and a quiet sniffle. Returning the bright smile Ben trailed his hand from the blond's cheekbone to his jaw to cup it and bring him into a sweet kiss.

"I love you too," Ben mumbled against Christian's lips, both of them letting out small sounds of delight as their arms wrapped around each other in a close embrace. 


End file.
